This random college generator picks a real US college for you. The list has 1,549 four-year colleges in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Use it to find colleges that you do not know yet. A random pick is a start for your research. It is not advice about where to apply, and it does not show your chance of admission.
How to Pick a Random College
- Select a college type: All, Public or Private.
- If necessary, select a region and a size.
- Click Pick a college.
- Click Save college to add the college to your shortlist.
- Click Copy result or the download button to keep your shortlist.
To pick more than one college, or to select a state, open More options. You can pick up to 20 colleges at one time.
Where the College List Comes From
The data comes from the US Department of Education: the 2024 institutional directory of the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). For each college, the tool shows the name, the city and state, public or private type, the enrollment size and the official website.
The list has public colleges and private nonprofit colleges that award bachelor's degrees. It includes research universities, state universities, liberal arts colleges, engineering schools, art and design schools and tribal colleges. Approximately 560 colleges are public, and approximately 990 are private.
The list does not include community colleges that award mainly associate's degrees. It also does not include for-profit schools, seminaries, separate medical schools, law schools or graduate-only schools. Some branch campuses report to IPEDS separately, so they show as separate colleges. An example is Ohio State University-Lima Campus.
The college names are the names in IPEDS. The tool does not show majors, tuition or admission rates. It does not tell you that a college is a good fit for you.
Filters
All filters apply together. For example, if you select Private, Midwest and Small, each college in the pool is private, small and in the Midwest. A state filter makes the pool smaller again.
| Size | Total enrollment in IPEDS |
|---|---|
| Small | Fewer than 5,000 students |
| Medium | 5,000–19,999 students |
| Large | 20,000 students or more |
Each college in the pool has the same chance. Large universities do not get a higher chance. One batch does not show the same college two times.
By default, the tool does not show a college again after you see it in this tab. Each new pick then shows different colleges. To make all colleges available again, click Reset seen. Your shortlist does not change.
If you ask for more colleges than the pool has, the tool does not show a smaller batch. It shows a message. Pick fewer colleges or change the filters.
Your Shortlist
Saved colleges go into a shortlist, which is separate from your picks. When you copy or download the shortlist, you get the name, location, type, enrollment size and website of each college.
The shortlist stays in this tab only. The tool does not save it in browser storage or in an account. Copy or download your shortlist before you close or reload the page.
Before you apply to a college, compare its programs, costs, financial aid, location, student services and admission requirements. NCES College Navigator has a full profile for each college in this list.
Source and Independence
IPEDS is the source of the college data. IPEDS does not endorse Textavia or random college picks. The enrollment sizes are from the 2024 IPEDS data, and they can change. This tool is independent. It has no connection with the Department of Education or with a college.